• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Thinking back on the years...

Zacki

Newbie
Feb 16, 2012
40
38
North Texas
✟21,830.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Constitution
Retired 2 years & I've have time to process life events & give thought to them & lately it's been ways God worked in my life. My dad was raised by a Godless man who killed 2 people then killed himself. I didn't learn of this until I was an adult, I just knew my dad was the angriest person I ever knew. At 17 he reached back to strike me & I snapped. I reached back to do the same & "something" held back my arm. Powerful. With all my strength & rage I could not move my arm. He saw the hate on my face & looked scared for his life. It was as if I were trying to throw a car. My rage turned to confusion. I wondered about that moment many times & I believe God protected me & my dad. I would have gone to prison & my dad would have died. 5 years later I'm in my 3rd clinical depression in 4 years, living like a hermit thousands of miles from my home state & I cried myself to sleep. In a dream I saw what appeared to be the sun. A big, orange, warm globe. It got brighter & brighter & began to turn white. I was filled with peace & joy. It surrounded me & I felt a euphoria like nothing I've ever felt since. Then I woke up to a dark room & heard rain outside. I cried from the pain that brought. I think God was telling me to continue on. Soon after that (days) I met a Christian. He told me things I never knew. I went to church with him & made friends there & my place in the world changed. I no longer needed to matter in the world. To impress the world. Or seek fame, money or power. My journey without God ended & my walk of faith began. Now, 40 years later it continues. I cannot imagine a life without knowing God & that Jesus died for my sins to give me eternal life with Him. And peace & guidance to manage each day. And wisdom to not make the crazy choices I made in my youth. Nearly 2 years ago I switched to another church after praying about it. Wonderful! I love it. God's word explained with clarity 75-90 minutes, twice a week. I'm in a very different place than in my youth. I was defeated, beaten down, depressed, confused & thinking I had all the life I could stand. I couldn't even be conformed to the world. Now I know not to be. Oh, my dad. He came to know Christ later in life & we made our peace. He went to be with God in 2014.
 

Carl Emerson

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2017
15,634
10,435
79
Auckland
✟443,419.00
Country
New Zealand
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Retired 2 years & I've have time to process life events & give thought to them & lately it's been ways God worked in my life. My dad was raised by a Godless man who killed 2 people then killed himself. I didn't learn of this until I was an adult, I just knew my dad was the angriest person I ever knew. At 17 he reached back to strike me & I snapped. I reached back to do the same & "something" held back my arm. Powerful. With all my strength & rage I could not move my arm. He saw the hate on my face & looked scared for his life. It was as if I were trying to throw a car. My rage turned to confusion. I wondered about that moment many times & I believe God protected me & my dad. I would have gone to prison & my dad would have died. 5 years later I'm in my 3rd clinical depression in 4 years, living like a hermit thousands of miles from my home state & I cried myself to sleep. In a dream I saw what appeared to be the sun. A big, orange, warm globe. It got brighter & brighter & began to turn white. I was filled with peace & joy. It surrounded me & I felt a euphoria like nothing I've ever felt since. Then I woke up to a dark room & heard rain outside. I cried from the pain that brought. I think God was telling me to continue on. Soon after that (days) I met a Christian. He told me things I never knew. I went to church with him & made friends there & my place in the world changed. I no longer needed to matter in the world. To impress the world. Or seek fame, money or power. My journey without God ended & my walk of faith began. Now, 40 years later it continues. I cannot imagine a life without knowing God & that Jesus died for my sins to give me eternal life with Him. And peace & guidance to manage each day. And wisdom to not make the crazy choices I made in my youth. Nearly 2 years ago I switched to another church after praying about it. Wonderful! I love it. God's word explained with clarity 75-90 minutes, twice a week. I'm in a very different place than in my youth. I was defeated, beaten down, depressed, confused & thinking I had all the life I could stand. I couldn't even be conformed to the world. Now I know not to be. Oh, my dad. He came to know Christ later in life & we made our peace. He went to be with God in 2014.

That is a beautiful testimony - thanks so much for sharing.
 
Upvote 0

joshua 1 9

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
May 11, 2015
17,420
3,593
Northern Ohio
✟314,607.00
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
I'm in a very different place than in my youth.
Like Trump says: Being used, abused & taken advantage of are long gone behind us. I think about things in my past sometimes and then I realize God can go back in time a bring healing to that time and that situation. So that it will not affect me now - today in this moment of time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zacki
Upvote 0